1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a compound hand tool. It relates in particular to a compound hand tool which contains the combination of a flashlight, a screwdriver, a light to illuminate the screwdriver's work, and a circuit continuity tester.
2. Summary of the Art
Tradesmen, technicians, maintenance workers, construction workers, and mechanics must carry a multiplicity of tools to troubleshoot common problems. Take the troubleshooting of an electrical fuse panel in the dark as an example:
(a) a small, battery-operated, portable light is needed to find the panel; PA1 (b) a screwdriver is needed to unscrew the cover and pry out the fuses; PA1 (c) a small, battery-operated, portable light is needed to illumininate the screws and the fuses while they are being worked on; PA1 (d) a continuity tester is required to check the fuses or the circuits; and PA1 (e) a small, battery-operated, portable light is required to illuminate the box while making any necessary repairs within or around it. PA1 (a) eliminate the need to carry a number of separate tools; and PA1 (b) make it easier to hold the tools while performing the task. PA1 (a) a flashlight; PA1 (b) a screwdriver; PA1 (c) a light to illuminate the screwdriver's work; and PA1 (d) a circuit continuity tester. PA1 (a) a flashlight; PA1 (b) a screwdriver; PA1 (c) a light to illuminate the screwdriver's work; and PA1 (d) a circuit continuity tester. PA1 (a) to provide a single tool which would eliminate the need to carry a number of separate tools to perform common trouble-shooting tasks; PA1 (b) to make it easier to hold the tools required to perform common trouble-shooting tasks; PA1 (c) to provide a single compound tool which will replace a flashlight, a screwdriver, a light to illuminate the work, and an electrical continunity tester; PA1 (d) to provide a single compound tool which will replace a combination of compound-function and single-function tools which will replace a flashlight, a screwdriver, a light to illuminate the work, and an electrical continunity tester.
The same is true for shrouded terminal boxes which are located in hard-to-reach or out-of-the-way locations such as high up on poles, masts or antennas, under machinery, or under the hood or the dash of a vehicle, airplane, or motorboat.
The repair person must carry and hold at least three separate tools in order to properly carry out his or her work in each of these applications. Many times the use of separate tools is both inefficient and inconvenient.
A single tool which would perform all the above functions would have great utility as it would:
3. Description of Related Art
A search was made through the existing U.S. Patent literature looking for a self-contained, portable, compound tool which has these four functions:
Here are the results of this search.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,137 issued Aug. 30, 1988 to Hwaw et al.: This patent shows a screwdriver combined with an illuminating function. The illuminating function does not illuminate the screwdriver's work but provides a halo around the end of the handle of the screwdriver. The screwdriver does not contain a flashlight nor does it contain a continuity tester.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,446 issued Feb. 10, 1981 to Ponte: This patent shows a flashlight combined with a circuit tester. It does not make provision for attaching or building in a screwdriver nor for illuminating a built-in screwdriver's work.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,873,915 issued Mar. 25, 1975 to Hayes: This patent shows a standard flashlight modified in a manner which allows it to be used as a continuity tester. No provision is made for attaching or building in a screwdriver nor for illuminating a built-in screwdriver's work.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,677 issued Nov. 27, 1973 to Garrett et al.: This patent also shows a standard flashlight modified in a manner which allows it to be used as a continuity tester. Again, no provision is made for attaching or building in a screwdriver nor for illuminating a built-in screwdriver's work.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,090 issued Aug. 14, 1973 to Tomek: This patent also shows a standard flashlight modified in a manner which allows it to be used as a continuity tester. Again, no provision is made for attaching or building-in a screwdriver nor for illuminating a built-in screwdriver's work.
All these patents taken together fail to provide the combined functions of: